Official Luthiers Forum!

Any of you know how to acquire neck blanks that are flawed or would normally be considered junk very cheaply? I want to actually start practicing something.. take a break from getting my shop in order and remind myself what the ultimate goal is.
I'll start a thread documenting the process of setting up the workspace... should be interesting. I'll post lots of pics and I want you guys to chime in with ideas.. or just to tell me I'm stupid and did something wrong
So.. as i was saying.. cheap practice neck blanks for me to hack up?

Thanks!
Jason

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Check out Hibdon Hardwood up top, the current monthly special includes $2 neck blanks. I got a bunch and some are pretty good quality, and most could be chopped in half, flipped and laminated to be perfectly good necks. Some have a couple knots, cracks and wormholes. Certainly can get good material for heel blocks and stuff out of all of them, or a practice neck that doesn't actually need to survive string tension over a long period of time

Cool! that's exactly what i was looking for!
When they say: "The backs *or* side sets are priced at $5/each, or a back and side set for $10." Does that mean $5 for each side.. (sorry I'm a newbi ) unless you buy a back AND sides, or are they $5 for both sides no matter if you buy a back or not. Forgive me man.. I'm new to this whole experiance

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$5 for a pair of sides, $5 for a two-piece back set, and $10 for a back/sides set (4 pieces of wood).

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Evan McCartney

Thanks!

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Jason...I've been making mando test necks from common pine. Once I figure it all out then it's time to go live with curly maple. It doesn't get much cheaper than that.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Thanks for the mention Dennis and Evan!

These guys are correct Jason, we have both Spanish Cedar and genuine Honduras Mahogany 1x3s (random lengths between 24" and 36") for $2/each. These are graded as seconds due to anything from the grain being off quarter, knots, pin holes, etc, but overall make excellent candidates for practice necks, kerfed lining stock, etc.

Sorry for the confusion on our sets Jason. $5 will get you either a bookmatched (2 pieces) back _or_ side set. $10 for both bookmatched back and side set. Shipping not included.

A lot of builders are looking for some less expensive wood to practice side bending with. These $5 sets are hard to beat and also work great for neck lams/stringers.

We also have some 3x4s that are 2nds and priced very reasonably due to similar defects as the 1x3s. Feel free to email me agribble _at_ hibdonhardwood.com if you have any other questions, or if there is anything else I can help with.

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Hibdon Hardwood, Inc.
http://www.hibdonhardwood.com
1410 N. Broadway
Saint Louis, Missouri 63102
314.621.7711

Go over to your local Home Depot or Lowes or Menards and pick up a 3" wide 4/4 board of Poplar.... It makes fine practice wood.... Cheap, easy to saw, glue, shape, etc..... and you don't have to pay shipping either...

In fact... there are several guys here who have used Poplar for necks on their Poplar back/sides instruments... so if you got one right -- you could use it.

Thanks

John

You can't beat a $5 back set. I bet those seconds would actually build a nice guitar. I mostly build with reclaimed woods for back and sides, I don't know if I ever built a guitar that doesn't have a worm hole or a knot

Yeah, the back I got has a big crack in both halves running up at an angle from the side, but there's still plenty of high quality wood to get a 15" lower bout from it. The two side sets I got, one has a pretty big knot, so I'll use that one as my backstrip reinforcement stock. The other set has a tiny worm hole, and will make a fine guitar along with the back

I'm just a hobbyist, so this is a great deal for me. I ordered 10 set of B&S's
and a dozen neck blanks. I'll have lots of 'practice' with this wood, and some
of it will become parts of finished guitars. I'm not trying to become 'Martin Guitar',
just have some fun, and this inexpensive wood takes the pressure off when trying
something for the 1st time.

Yeah, I'd rather not chew up some high quality wood, so this is ideal for me. I ordered a few neck blanks and some sides to practice on.. Thanks to all who chimed in!!

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And Todd Cambio of Fraulini guitars, who makes some of the finest stella type 6 and 12 string guitars, is using poplar to make the necks on some of his builds, and speaks highly of it.

Joe

I received my shipment of mahogany from Hibdon Hardwood yesterday.
I am very pleased with the quality, especially the $2 neck blanks.
Now I can 'hack' away learning neck construction, or learn how to
make my own linings cheaply. Just ordered some more.